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City council OKs Brian Redd, mayor's pick for police chief

City council OKs Brian Redd, mayor's pick for police chief

Axios05-03-2025

The Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Brian Redd as the next police chief.
The big picture: Redd's arrival comes as Utah GOP leaders pressure the city for a new approach to homelessness.
State of play: During a council work session ahead of the vote, Redd called for an "empathetic and compassionate" policing approach and partnerships within the social services system to address root causes of crime.
What they're saying: "I think good ideas come from the ground up, so we want to create a culture where our officers are heard and listened to and involved in the decision-making process in the department," he said.
State of play: Redd, Mayor Erin Mendenhall's pick to replace former police chief Mike Brown, most recently led the Utah Department of Corrections.
Redd was appointed to the post by Gov. Spencer Cox in 2023.
He also worked for the Utah Department of Public Safety for about two decades.

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